Taiwan President, Tsai Ing-wen, on Tuesday ordered a probe into a scandal involving the National Security Bureau’s (NSB) abuse of privileged customs clearance.
Tsai’s order came one day after investigators arrested some NSB agents for allegedly smuggling 9,800 cartons of cigarettes, roughly worth 6 million Taiwan dollars [193,000 dollars] into the island.
This was done under the cover of Tsai’s return from her state visit to Caribbean allies.
NSB head Peng Sheng-chu immediately resigned late Monday.
On Tuesday, after long interrogation, two NSB agents were taken into custody in connection with the smuggling of cigarettes.
Tsai on Tuesday instructed the relevant government agencies to assist the judicial investigation into the case.
She also ordered an assessment of whether privileged customs clearance had been abused.
Tsai said that, in the future, government officials and the president’s entourage returning from state visits must go through regular customs clearance, except in cases where sensitive national security matters are involved, CNA reported.
The scandal was exposed by Huang Kuo-chang, a lawmaker from the left-wing New Power Party
